In recent months, we've been shaken once again by two major product-safety incidents. Several brands of infant formula were found to be contaminated with cereulide, a toxin produced by Bacillus cereus. Under certain conditions, it can cause health complaints, and this triggered anxiety and recalls.
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has fined Shimano $11.5 million (€10 million) in civil penalties after accusing the company of "knowingly failing to immediately report" its defective bicycle cranksets to the CPSC. This comes weeks after Shimano North America Holding, Inc. settled a class action lawsuit brought by 14 consumer plaintiffs alleging a breach of warranties and misleading advertising related to the cranksets.
The rebirth of Cowboy is officially underway in 2026, backed by the company's new French investor, ReBirth Group Holding SA. Cowboy is reporting progress on its recall program, the clearance of its order backlog and a leadership transition, all aimed at stabilising the company after a tumultuous 2025.
Taiwanese drive system manufacturer Hyena E-bike Systems has announced a recall of its rear wheel bolts, affecting nearly 20,000 e-bikes from American bicycle manufacturer Trek and its subsidiary Electra. The affected e-bikes are from both brands' newest 2026 models, sold before October 2025.
American e-bike company Rad Power Bikes seems to have ended its unlucky streak this week, securing a buyer to take over the company following its bankruptcy announcement in late December. Life Electric Vehicles Holdings (Life EV) has committed to purchasing the company, including its inventory, intellectual property, software, furniture and more, for $13.2 million (€11 million), according to media reports.
The European bicycle industry is one year into the General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR) set by the European Union, and a recent spate of recalls has raised the question, are these just a series of isolated quality lapses, or part of the broader impact of the GPSR?
